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ᑖᓂᓯ  ᓂᐚᐦᑰᒫᑲᓇᐠ  ᐁᑿ  ᓂᑑᑌᒼᑎᐠ᙮ 

tânisi niwâhkômâkanak êkwa nitôtêmtik,

Hello my friends and relatives,

Aaron Hemens has been covering the sacred waters of the syilx Okanagan lands for more than two years now. Last week, when he attended the historic signing of an agreement that brought together dozens of leaders— both Indigenous and non-Indigenous — who vowed to protect the region’s waterways, he knew he was witnessing something special.

“It was pretty powerful,” he said. 

“There are so many water issues throughout the region, so to see collective leadership across the Okanagan unite and pledge to work on these issues together was inspiring.”

Photo by Aaron Hemens

One of the first events Aaron wrote about related to water protection in the region was the Osoyoos Lake Water Forum in November of 2022.

He says it was a crucial event to cover, because it educated him on the wide variety of water issues throughout the Okanagan watershed, and introduced him to some of the key people on the ground. 

One of those people is Richard Armstrong, the Elder who presided over last week’s memorandum of agreement signing ceremony.

“It is always a pleasure being in the presence of Richard Armstrong and hearing his stories and teachings,” Aaron said.  

“His perspective on water — how we all come from water, how water is a living being — resonated with everyone there.”

Photo by Aaron Hemens

I understand how he feels. When I hear Elders speak, I am always moved by the truths they share. Something inside me lights up when I hear their perspectives – it feels old and new at the same time.

“I'm glad that he was asked to speak before the signing took place." Aaron said. "It really set the tone, and it reminded leaders of what has led us to this point and how we need to change our relationship with water if we are going to protect it.”

You can read Aaron’s story here.

ᑮᓇᓈᐢᑯᒥᑎᓇᐘᐤ

Kînanâskomitinawaw

I am grateful for all of you,

Aunty Eden

Eden Fineday is a nêhiyaw iskwew (Cree woman) from Sweetgrass First Nation, Treaty 6 territory and the publisher of IndigiNews, an Indigenous-women-led journalism outlet. Eden and her colleagues at IndigiNews are leaders in trauma-informed journalism, prioritizing the cultural safety of staff and community members while decolonizing the practice of journalism. She is a grateful resident on the ancestral lands of the Tsawwassen First Nation.

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